Red Handkerchief
by Courtney.Wortney
Summary: Sequel to Purple Scarf. Six months after saying good-bye to Sherlock, John is called into action again by none other than the detective himself. Sherlock and John haven't seen the last of Robert Crimson's work, and when a haunting figure returns, it is not John or Sherlock in danger but someone unexpected. Post Reichenbach.
1. The Clock Tower

I have now started the sequel to Purple Scarf, set six months after John said goodbye to Sherlock.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sherlock. You know this but eh lets do it anyway.**

* * *

John had been dreaming. He couldn't remember what he was dreaming about but he awoke in a cold sweat gasping for breath. Mary was still asleep next to him. He wanted to wake her so he wouldn't feel so alone. He had never felt so lonely in his life as he sat in the darkness staring at the wall opposite him. He wanted to wander downstairs and make a tea but there was no downstairs. He wanted to occupy his racing mind by staring at the spider web of Sherlock's information but he couldn't, because it wasn't there. He wasn't in 221b Baker Street and what made it worse was that it still existed, almost mocking him. Baker Street was a fifteen minute walk from his flat with Mary, but there was no Sherlock and John. 221b Baker Street was an empty flat; it was slowly losing its significance to John more and more each day. But it was still there! It shouldn't be there anymore because Sherlock and John, the crime fighting duo, didn't live there anymore. With that last thought John realized he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. He briefly thought about waking Mary because she was the only thing that made him feel human.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to rise, catching the dust swirling through the air. The TV was on in the lounge but John had given up watching that long ago. It was just background noise to fill the silence, how long had it been since John had said goodbye that night at the Holmes manor? It could have been 3 days and it would have felt like 3 years anyway so John was unsure why it mattered. "John" Mary questioned, switching the kitchen light on "how long have you been awake?" she asked squinting against the bright light. "Not long" he lied. Mary shook her head and wandered off. Six months, that's how long it had been since John had seen Sherlock. He was getting married next month, a thought that made his stomach do somersaults. The wedding plans lay spread across the kitchen table from last night's heated discussion about the best man. Mary had suggested Lestrade for best man. She didn't mean to accidentally forget Sherlock, she knew it would be nearly impossible for Sherlock to be best man. John didn't know whether Sherlock being accidentally forgotten was worse than Sherlock being forgotten on purpose. One meant that Sherlock was gradually becoming less important; one meant that they had both truly realized they would never see him again. John sighed into his coffee and stood to tip it down the sink. The warmth of the shower helped John perk up and he found himself in a better mood than he had in a while. The weather was becoming warmer which seemed to help improve his mood. Spring was just beginning to break through winter, bringing strong warm winds and sunshine. The usual commute to work didn't drag this morning; the cab seemed to effortlessly move through what little traffic there was on the roads. The public holiday meant that most people were still at home in bed but John wasn't as lucky, he had given up his public holidays to work at the hospital. John's phone buzzed in his pocket but he ignored it and shrugged his coat off. "Morning John" Sarah called as she passed through the hallway. "Morning" John called back; the day would have been uneventful if John hadn't read that text. It would have just been another uneventful day at work.

* * *

"It's your lunch now John" Sarah's voice muffled through the speaker. John could feel the eyes of everyone in the cafeteria on him. Even though it had been six months, the news was just beginning to catch up on the whole thing. Sherlock's court trials had begun 3 months ago and were still ongoing. John had done his best to avoid them on the news but Mary had a fascination with watching them. She said they were important and John believed her but if he couldn't hear about the trials from Sherlock, he didn't want to hear about them from anyone. "John!" a hand shot up from the end of the cafeteria. _Oh great_ John thought, he tried to ignore the hand, pretend he didn't see it, he didn't recognize the voice anyway and he wasn't in the moods for anyone asking if he had heard from Sherlock. The hand was persistent though and soon the hand became someone pushing through the cafeteria to sit with him.  
"Have you heard from Sherlock" the woman asked. John took a mouthful of pasta and glared at her. She had short bobbed blond hair and striking green eyes that seemed to hide something. She was just what John was expecting, a new medical student transferred from another college, to 'gain work experience.' John knew the three medical students to transfer here were only interested in the famous John Watson. At least as famous as you can get when your old best friend is undergoing trial for murder. John stood up to take his leave, taking his tray with him but the woman grabbed his wrist, John's pasta slipped from his tray and smashed on the cafeteria floor. The room went deathly quiet as the plate smashed and echoed through the room. He was angry now. "Look lady, I haven't heard from Sherlock bloody Holmes in six months I have no new information! So you can tell you and all your buddies, donning their deerstalkers and claiming you care to stop hounding us! Getting information from me is like getting blood out of a stone, it won't happen" The woman glared back at John through his speech, he green eyes sparkling in amusement. "You are very loyal to someone who abandoned you John." The cafeteria began to hum with conversation again. John was about to snap back but her comment struck him as different. "Sit down John you are going to create a scene" John sat.  
"How do you know about that?" John asked utterly taken aback by the woman's knowledge on something that hadn't even been in the public spotlight. "Never mind how I know about that, you got a message today didn't you John?" she asked. John nodded dumbly.  
"I haven't read it yet, I've been busy" he replied.  
"Well maybe you should" the woman stood. "I hear the pasta is very good here" she said staring down at John's splattered on the floor. "Read the message John and then you need to come with me" she left, he blond hair bobbing behind her. She made her way to the buffet and John pulled out his phone.

1 new message

_Follow the woman, trust me John_

John's stomach swooped uncomfortably but it was a feeling he hadn't felt in six months it was a familiar comforting feeling that excited him and made him realize why he had struck a friendship with Sherlock in the first place. He glanced at the woman standing at the buffet; she wore a lab coat that was obviously not hers it was too big, she had stolen it to get in to the cafeteria. He pocketed his phone and avoiding the ruined pasta made his way towards her. "Who sent you?" John asked, the woman ignored him.  
"Should I have the chicken cabonara or the mushroom pasta?" she asked looking between the two  
"Who sent you?" John asked again. She smiled a sly grin and looked up at him and simply walked away from John. The man serving the food stared at John his serving spoon hovering over the pasta. John glanced back at him and smiled nervously before taking off after the woman. "You have your next appointment at 6" the receptionist said in a bored tone. John paused.  
"Um cancel all appointments, I'm not feeling to good" he said, placing a hand over his stomach "The pasta I think" he said, the receptionist shrugged.  
John's phone beeped in his pocket and he pulled it out as he approached the woman.

_Hurry up John _

"Where are we going?" he asked.  
"Patience" she replied. The woman hailed a cab. John kept a wary eye on the woman that sat opposite him. She had a regal look to her, the way she held herself. Her pointy chin was held high. There was a gleam in her eyes that gave John a reason not to trust her. A small sparkle that held important information, she was smart. She was someone who didn't pass around information or secrets that she held very easily, John wouldn't waste his time trying to speak to her. There was something else about this woman that John couldn't put his finger on. There was dirt under her fingernails and her hands were covered in scratches and scars and she was tense, she was nervous. The woman looked from the window to him and John turned his attention to the city. It had started to rain. The cab pulled up outside the entrance to Tower Bridge. Memories rushed back to greet John as he stepped from the cab. The woman had marched ahead of him and took a familiar path. There were still small bullet holes that littered the stone of the pillars, John's fingers ran along them and connected them like a connect-the-dots. The cab drove off leaving John and the woman alone. John glanced around him. The abandoned factory and shed that held Crimsons boats sat silhouetted in the setting sun. Big Ben's tower was reflected in the Thames below him. The rain began falling heavily now rippling the water. John followed the path towards the locked door that led underneath parliament. The woman stopped at the door and stared at John expectantly. John stepped forwards to reach the keypad and punched in the letters.

SHERLOCK

The woman smiled and the door swung open. The lights still hadn't been repaired and some were beginning to flicker. They cast an odd light over the tunnel. The woman didn't turn around once as they marched through the tunnel and at last reached the small manhole that had led John and Victoria to Big Ben's tower. The small dungeon style room was empty this time. No one to greet them or ask them what they were doing. The climb to the tower seemed longer than it had last time they climbed the same steps. John was running on fear and adrenaline last time. He didn't understand why he trusted this woman. She could be leading him anywhere. John was following the addictive feeling of the unknown. The woman smiled down at John, she held the door to the bell tower slightly ajar, inviting him into the mystery. "He is waiting for you in there, I can't follow unfortunately" John glanced down the stairs they had just climbed, he could back out now. He doubted the woman would stop him, there were no threats made and she walked ahead uncaring if he was following most of the time. No this person didn't want to kidnap him. He looked back up at the woman watching him challenge his decision. She seemed curious to see the decision he reached as much as John was. His final choice didn't surprise him as he walked through the door. Frankly if he had chosen to run that would have surprised him more. The door was slammed shut behind him and it echoed through the bell tower mixing with the deafening turning of cogs. His eyes searched the bell tower but it was too dark now to see anything. The sun had set while he was climbing. The woman had literally led him into the darkness and the unknown. "I knew you couldn't resist the suspense and adrenaline of a good mystery John"

_Oh God _was John's first thought. "Sherlock"

A familiar figure stepped from the shadow of the bell and his phone screen illuminated his face as if he were telling a horror story. His phone made the small _whoosh_ as he sent a text. John shook his head and looked down at his shoes. "Hello John" John didn't understand how Sherlock was standing in front of him. Mycroft hadn't been able to hold him at the Holmes manor for the last month of the trials and he had spent that time locked in prison, despite reassuring John he would be safe until he was convicted. How Sherlock had escaped from prison baffled John.  
"How did you get out?" was the first question John asked. It was then John realized how much their friendship had changed. John wasn't excited as he should have been to see Sherlock. He was more concerned about anyone seeing Sherlock. No doubt his escape would be publicized everywhere and once again, John would be hounded for information and interrogated by the police, his life would be as usual thrown into a dangerous game. Sherlock had become a black cloud over his life. He wanted to leave without hearing Sherlock's explanation but he couldn't move. He could see the look on Sherlock's face from the light that had switched on to illuminate Big Ben. Sherlock had reached the same conclusion as John. "They sentenced me last night"  
"Did they?"  
"10 years imprisonment" John had blocked himself from the emotion that would usually come from hearing that.  
"Do you even care John? This is out of my control and I hate that it has ruined our friendship, I know you don't hate me but you can't bear to look at me" Sherlock said. John suddenly realized he was doing anything he could to avoid looking directly at Sherlock. The light of the clock face was a welcome distraction. "I've killed people in defense and you can't bear to look at me. You have killed in defense and I did nothing but accept it" John stared Sherlock directly in the eyes now. He couldn't deny that fact. "They will come looking for you" John said. Sherlock's shoulders dropped significantly.  
"Okay John, I'll leave" Sherlock said in defeat. He turned and pulled out his phone, the illumination glowed in his eyes and they widened in fright. John took a step forward. It was a natural instinct to protect the detective that had been drilled into him. "John's you may want to cover your ears because it's going 8 o'clock and –" Sherlock's last word was cut off by a sound unlike John had ever heard. A deafening ring roared through the clock tower. It shook the tower and echoed so loudly in John's ears he believed it would be the last time he ever heard anything again. He ran for Sherlock and gripped his arm, keeping one hand firmly against his ear but it did little to protect his ears. John dragged Sherlock from the bell tower as the bell chimed a third time. In between the chimes John was screaming at Sherlock to run, they barreled down the stairs that led to the tunnel so fast, Sherlock couldn't keep up. He felt his hand slip from his, the panic he had been blocking returned on instinct, he looked behind him. Sherlock was kneeling on the step, his hands thrown over his ears and his eyes tightly shut.

"SHERLOCK" John shouted although he couldn't hear himself; all he could hear was the deafening ringing that vibrated through the staircase. He ran towards him and grabbed his arm but Sherlock refused to move. The bell chimed for the eighth time and fell silent. There was a loud buzz that continued to ring through the clock tower. It mixed with the ringing. It was worse than the bell chimes themselves. Neither Sherlock nor John could hear anything. John tugged at Sherlock's arm, he stood and stared at John, he wore a look of utter shell shock. He took off running John following behind him. Sherlock threw his hand behind him and John grabbed it. Sherlock was now leading the way through the dungeon room. The ringing intensified and John began to worry he would never hear anything again. He reached to touch his ears, thankfully they weren't bleeding. Sherlock skidded to a halt and John and Sherlock collapsed to the dusty floor of the small underground basement. Sherlock was gasping for breath next to him John was having a hard time catching his but as the two sat gasping for as much air as possible, John could feel the buzz of thrill coursing through his veins. It infected his blood stream. He smiled, he couldn't help it, he glanced over at Sherlock who had begun shaking. John placed a hand on his back but he soon realized he was laughing. He was heaving with laughter. John laughed, they couldn't hear each other but if they could they would sound like a pair of crazed men laughing in a dark, dusty basement. The men looked at each other; Sherlock's eyes sparkled with excitement. John understood why they were laughing; it was the most thrilling experience in six months for both of them. They _were_ crazed men laughing in a dark, dusty basement. John clapped Sherlock on the back and shook his head. The ringing began to fade and John was able to hear Sherlock laughing next to him. He didn't have time to be upset; he was just praising God he could still hear. "Can you hear me!?" John shouted, Sherlock nodded.  
"Just" he said. They didn't need to talk to each other again or sort anything out to realize that both had been equally forgiven. John realized that no matter how upset he was at Sherlock he couldn't rid the instinct that made him care. He couldn't give up on him because it would go against everything in his mind. Sherlock had become so ingrained in him that he couldn't detach himself from him. And he knew Sherlock felt the exact same way.  
"John you should go" Sherlock said once he had regained control of his breathing and composure. "The city is crawling with police looking for me and if you are seen with me you will be arrested as well." John shook his head.  
"I don't care, you escaped prison for a reason Sherlock and I want to know why" John asked. Sherlock ran a hand over his face, he had just remembered why he was here and John knew it wouldn't be good news. Sherlock looked him square in the eye and the smile he wore before had dissolved. John wanted him to go back to smiling, he didn't like this look. It was a worried look; he was scared of telling John.

"Tell me what's happened Sherlock" John said, his voice dropping.

"Mary is in danger."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it. Read and review. :)


	2. Explaining

**I'm so sorry for how long it has taken me to update. I have no excuse for it, I've just been distracted by other things, but! Sherlock and John are back!**

* * *

Police sirens wailed past John and Mary's flat. John, Sherlock and Mary all seemed to be awaiting police to barge into John and Mary's small flat at any moment and whisk Sherlock back to prison. Sherlock's eyes flickered from the door to the window as he explained. "I didn't kill Sharp" was the first thing Sherlock said once the three had sat around the dining table. It had taken an hour to get through the streets of London back to John and Mary's flat. To stay hidden Sherlock had taken every back road and alley he had learnt in his years of being a consulting detective "If I want to get through the streets of London unseen John, I will" he had said as John unlocked the front door, his hands shaking, eyes watching every small moment and shadow. He was almost convinced someone was following them, ready to jump out and catch Sherlock. "I didn't kill Sharp" had been an odd thing to start the explanation with. "Start with the most important Sherlock" John sighed. "This is the most important thing John" Sherlock hissed back "If you would let me finish". He tugged at his scarf and John noticed red markings lacing his neck. As he looked closer while Sherlock tugged his scarf off he noticed they were strangulation marks. John's stomach swooped and he turned away from Sherlock to glance at Mary. Her fingers ran circles over her cup of tea but her expression was unreadable. He didn't want to think about Sherlock's time in prison. It made him nervous, he wanted to ignore it but he couldn't the uneasy feeling and the swiftness at which Sherlock had uncovered them told John it had something to do with why he escaped prison. "Sharp is not dead"  
"We got that the first time Sherlock"  
"Shut up John" Sherlock snapped, John was taken aback by the sharp comment. He was used to the sly eye roll or the purposeful interruptions. John wanted to snap back but he remained silent. "Sharp is planning something, something in the prisons."  
"How do you know this?" John asked. As John thought, it had something to do with the angry red marks. "They told me" Sherlock ran his hand over his throat and John felt a spark of rage for unknown people "Why you? You are the reason they are in there" Mary added. Sherlock glanced at her, his eyes narrowed and he lent back in his chair. "Because I was stuck in prison, just like the rest of them. There was nothing I could do about it."  
"Couldn't you have just told a guard?" Mary replied still staring at her mug, she said this in an almost defeated tone. Sherlock shook his head  
"They would have killed me, they tortured me with the information and I was okay with it but then they mentioned your name" Mary's finger's stopped circling her mug and she grasped it tightly.  
"What I don't understand is how your name could be mentioned in a prison"  
"Neither do I" John added to the conversation. He felt like he was losing grasp of the information as Sherlock and Mary talked. Sherlock glanced back out the window and the room feel silent. "What did they tell you?" Mary asked, she had become more anxious.  
"I couldn't hold onto much because they were hard to understand and it's hard to focus on someone's voice when they have you by the throat against a wall, I'm unsure most of it was English anyway. They told me Sharp was planning something, and they would finally get what they had asked for. Sharp was apparently doing it for science and for underdogs everywhere. Then they mentioned your name, told me to watch out for you. Something is coming, payback"  
"What was coming? Payback for what?" John asked, he had leaned forward in his chair and he grabbed for Mary's hand. Sherlock cleared his throat and looked down at his hands "I don't know, I blacked out"  
"What?" John's voice wavered "I'm ringing Mycroft; he should have never let them put you in there. They all knew it was too dangerous!" John stood but Sherlock blocked his way.  
"Don't you dare" he warned. John ran a hand over his forehead in frustration. He knew Mycroft wouldn't do anything. He would only get involved if Sherlock's life was in real danger. A sudden thought crossed John. "Does Mycroft know you pulled a Houdini?" Sherlock shook his head  
"No, I haven't told him but he will know by now" so it was settled, John knew he wasn't going to get help from anyone. He couldn't go to the police and say his wife needed protecting because Sherlock had broken out of prison to tell him, and without a proper reason they would never put her in government security. Mycroft wouldn't be able to protect her. That could mean losing his job, he would rather die. John was stuck. He had expected Sherlock to tell him why they wanted Mary and how to protect her. "Next time you break out of prison to tell me my fiance is in danger you better bloody have a good plan" he said taking a seat. Sherlock glanced out the window. "I'm rather hoping there won't be a next time" Sherlock replied.

"I'm going to bed, it's late" Mary said. No she wasn't, not without him. John wasn't letting her out of his sight. He was the only one who could protect her but John knew the three wouldn't solve anything by sitting around talking in circles at ten o'clock at night. "So am I, Sherlock you can take the sofa tonight" John explained but Sherlock shook his head "Yes you are" John demanded, he wanted to be in control for once. This was his fiance, this was his house. This wasn't Sherlock and John, the crime fighting duo, faced with another case. John had come to realize that a long time ago. This was John protecting those he loved. This time he was going to take control and Sherlock would have to deal with it. "I am not leading them here John, no way" he wrapped his scarf around his neck, hiding the red marks like they didn't exist.  
"Sherlock you can't go out there, they will find you"  
"They will likely find me here as well and I'm not allowing you or Mary to be hurt or thrown in prison, it would make prison less boring but that's not the point." He headed for the door but John grabbed his elbow. Sherlock flinched and threw is hand off. John took a step back, he knew he was right. Lestrade knew this would be the second place Sherlock would go, only second to Baker street. "Be careful" John added  
"Always do John" Sherlock replied.  
"No I'm serious Sherlock"  
"You were serious when you first stated it, stating that you are still serious about this is not going to make me listen anymore" Sherlock said smiling. John sighed and threw Sherlock his coat. The door slammed shut behind him and John naturally began waiting for his phone to light up with news he had already been caught. John pulled back the curtain and watched Sherlock make his way across the road. Was the car going to stop and notice him? Was the man walking his dog going to tackle him and lock him up? Sherlock disappeared into the blackness of the night as he pulled his coat collar up.

John finally let the curtain fall and allowed his mind to wander. It was a luxury these days because his mind was stuffed with other things to worry about. "You can't keep worrying about him, remember what he did to you that day at the station" Mary said, she stood in the doorway not wanting to go to bed without John. John shook his head  
"He was different that day; he was grieving and he was genuinely scared"  
"You said he's been different since he, I don't know, returned from the dead"  
"There's doubt there now, there was never doubt before. He used to have everything solved, everything planned, now he seems to be turning to me for answers more and more and I wish I had them" Mary wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin on his shoulder.  
"You may not have all the answers but I think you both realize that's not the way your friendship works. Sherlock's smart he has his own answers" It irked John slightly that Mary still didn't seem to understand that this change in Sherlock wasn't just in his head. He knew it wasn't her fault for not knowing Sherlock until six months ago but he just wanted someone to confirm for him that he was not crazy. That Sherlock was starting to run out of answers. He pictured Sherlock unable to speak, his words cutting out before he could talk because he had run out of answers and run out of words. He shook his head to get rid of the image and took Mary's hand. He guided her through the hallway and into the bedroom. "Whatever happens, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. They will not hurt you Mary. I promise" He searched her eyes for her thoughts, wondering if he could see exactly what she was thinking skating across her eyes. Mary smiled at her shoes. "What do we do now John?" She looked up at him; her eyes had begun to water. "You are used to this, you and Sherlock"  
"No this is different. This is personal. This is connected to Sherlock's past, he is his own client." John pulled her close and clung to her. She was so familiar to him he could put her back together like a jigsaw puzzle if she fell apart. "I don't know what to do but give me a night to think on it." Mary nodded against his chest. His arms tightened around her like they were preparing for a fight if someone took her from him. "What will Sherlock do?" she mumbled "He can't go back to prison they will kill him as soon as he walks in the holding cell, the guards won't stop them, they couldn't care less about someone who has escaped from them"  
"I know, I have no idea where he will go and I don't care as long as I don't get a phone call or text from Lestrade or Mycroft telling me he was stupid enough to get caught" John threw the covers off the bed and slipped into his pajamas. Mary slid in next to him and they clung to each other. Neither talked. They both stared up at the ceiling like it held the answers. John hadn't lied, Sherlock could be hiding in a gutter for all he cared, he knew he would stay safe. He had to think of Mary, it was refreshing to worry about someone new, it still felt the same. The massive hole of the unknown in his mind and he knew the fear that would follow if that unknown became dangerous. A different name would be played in his head over and over again. One he could say a million times and still love the sound. He kissed her on the forehead.  
"Goodnight Mary" he whispered.


	3. Police chase

John went another week without calling or hearing from Sherlock. The week had progressed without an attack on Mary and John was beginning to think Sherlock had made this all up to prove he had a reason for escaping. The spring was beginning to warm the air and John had begun taking his lunch outside. It removed him from the cafeteria and the people who watched him. News had spread quickly that Sherlock had escaped; several police officers had been and gone. All convinced Sherlock was hiding under the bed or behind the sofa. Mary had begun locking the door even when she was home for fear of them bursting through the door expecting Sherlock and Mary to be having a cuppa together. John and Mary had their hands tied. They were under surveillance. They couldn't get a hold of Sherlock; he had to get a hold of them. John had heard nothing from Mycroft, he was keeping quite. People were starting to suspect he had something to do with this. Mycroft Holmes, the one with all the power. Of the news John and Mary had watched Mycroft was always being hassled. Microphones shoved in his face all getting the same reply "No comment." Sherlock's escape had become a nationwide game of hide and seek. It was slowly becoming one of the most talked about things of the week. People whispered behind John's back on the tubes and patients wanted to talk about nothing but Sherlock. All had been turned down and shown the door.

"You need to take a break from work John. Soon people will want to be interviewing you; you can't hold them back a work" Mary Pleaded. That day at work John had heard over the radio that Mycroft had left his office. People wanted answers and he was next in line to be interrogated he knew it but he couldn't give up his work. It was his normal. John was still surprised Sherlock had evaded them for so long. Was he even still in London? He could be in Mexico right now. No, he wouldn't leave unless Mary and John were safe or had agreed to come with him.  
"I'm going to look for him" John said Mary opened her mouth to protest but John cut her off "Not right now but I have to find him"  
"No John if you get caught you will be thrown in jail as well. Then how will you protect me?" she said, John sighed heavily. He knew she was right but the waiting was starting to play on his nerves. He wanted to find him. To get some answers from him.

* * *

Mary was reluctant for John returning to work the next day. People had begun the next step of interrogation; people were calling for John Watson to step forward. "I have cancelled your appointments" Sarah ran after him, catching him at the door to his office. John sighed  
"If anyone asks me about Sherlock I will send them away. I can handle this Sarah, please trust me."  
"I can't have the media in here; the practice is becoming a circus. Half the patients have booked to see you, all with no medical problems. This cannot continue John" Sarah demanded firmly. John had no answer. He couldn't protest he knew she was right. He ran a hand over his face and pulled his jacket closed again. Sarah looked sympathetic as he barged past her. He was furious; he wanted to tell the media where to stick it. He thought he had been prepared for this but he was wrong. As soon as he threw open the doors they descended on him. Hundreds of journalists all asking the same question "Where is Sherlock Holmes?" Sarah grabbed at John's jacket to pull him inside, the cameras began flashing. Their flash disorientating him. He said nothing. He pulled away from Sarah grasp and pushed his way through the crowd. "Mr Watson have you heard from Mr Holmes in the past week?" "Are you hiding him in your house?" They grabbed at him and shoved him. They blocked his entrance to his car. His heart was racing, he reached out to his car door but someone batted his hand away "Don't touch me!" he roared. The journalist looked scared for a moment. John wrenched his car door open and threw himself inside. He was beginning to panic. The flashes followed him into the car and he jammed the key in the ignition. The car roared to life and he put his foot on the accelerator and sped from the media storm.

They followed him, chasing down his car. Hands battering the windows. He flinched trying to keep his eyes on the road. The battering hands were pulling away as the John sped up and turned out of the parking lot. They were suddenly gone, just a wave of people waving in the distance after him. His heart hammered in his chest and he worked on slowing his breathing. "Jesus" he hissed under his breath. He punched the radio on and turned it up full volume. People glanced at him in their cars when he pulled up to the lights but John didn't care, he had to drown out the noise of cameras flashing slowly turning into guns shots. The sound of people calling his name was mixing into the sound of his friends screaming his name. He was beginning to sweat. The stereo wasn't blocking the images of war from skating through his mind. He had to pull over, the light was still red. It wouldn't change. It wasn't going to let him escape, he was trapped. He couldn't control his breathing and he was becoming light headed. The red light mocked him and he cursed loudly, yelling over the sound of the stereo. The couple in the car next to him must have noticed something was wrong. The woman in the passenger seat wound the window down. John's hand clenched and un-clenched on the steering wheel. The lady was going to ask if he knew Sherlock, she was going to hound him. He had to get out of the car. He had to run from her before she could hassle him. He shook his head to himself. The woman knocked on the window and John jumped in fright. That was the last straw; John revved the car and slammed his foot on the accelerator. The car speed faster than John had expected and adrenaline blurred John's vision and made him giddy. Cars honked at him but he was through the red light. He pulled over and slammed on the brakes, he looked behind him. People were getting out of their cars. Their faces blended with the faces of his fallen friends, they were bloody and disfigured. John shook his head and the image melted back to reality. He had to get out of the car, even if he had to run home. The sound of the car door slamming closed startled him. He swayed on the spot and leaned against the car. People laughed around him, he seemed just some crazy who had escaped the institution. A police siren sounded in the distance, just one. Then several. Shit, someone had reported him! A hand rested on his shoulder and he jumped in fright, his heart fluttering in panic. He spun around and faced the man who had approached him.

"Are you alright mate?" he asked. John stared at him. This man had no idea he was John Watson, the one everyone was after because his best friend had killed someone. For this moment he could relax. He caught his breath and nodded. The sirens were becoming more distant. The man nodded like he understood. John's phone began ringing in his pocket and he grabbed for it. "Excuse me" he said to the man and jumped back in his car. "Hello" he answered. He expected it to be Sherlock calling him telling him he had seen John speed through the red light but it was someone he wasn't expecting.  
"Sherlock has been found" Lestrade said breathlessly over the phone "They have sent about a million police cars to corner him things aren't going to go well if he resists them." John blinked. His brain still hadn't registered the words properly yet. "John?" Lestrade barked. The silence lasted for about half a minute before Lestrade hung up. John could still hear the sirens. They were growing and shrinking as they chased Sherlock around the city. It wasn't the first time Sherlock had run from the law. John turned the key and the car revved to life again. He had to follow the sirens. The radio was still on full volume it blasted the breaking news at him and he turned it down. "This morning, police were called to a disturbance at 221b Baker street the former residence of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. It is believed a man then fled the scene and the police are now chasing down a man believed to be Sherlock Holmes himself. John dialed Sherlock's number and begged Sherlock to pick up the phone. There was a small hello on the other end. "What the hell were you doing at Baker street?!" John shouted down the phone at Sherlock. There was a silence before Sherlock answered.  
"Mrs Hudson has been attacked" Sherlock's voice was cutting out and John could hear his heavy breaths, he was still running. "Attacked, how? When?"  
"I don't know but she called me, when I arrived Mrs Hudson was talking to the police, she was talking about me John, they have tracked my phone and someone has attacked her to bring me out of hiding, some incompetent Journalist" Sherlock spat.  
"What are you sure she hadn't just called the police first to report the attack?" John sped round the corner following a police car that had turned in front of him. People were watching as the cop car sped down the street sirens blaring.  
"Possible but I found an unknown IP on my phone"  
"Why do you still have the same damn phone Sherlock!?"  
"Because I knew you would call" John slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting the police car in front of him. John looked ahead of him. Several police cars had congregated in the same area. They had found Sherlock. They held guns and they held them at the ready. "John are you following me?" Sherlock asked. That's when John saw him; he launched himself out of the car dropping the phone. Sherlock dropped the phone from his ear and held up his hands. "Sherlock Holmes you are under arrest for evading the law, come willingly or we will shoot" Sherlock spotted John and a flash of regret passed over his face. His eyes darted looking for an escape.

"Mr Holmes we have you surrounded, you cannot run" the officers were walking forward towards him slowly. Sherlock raised the phone to his ear and John did the same.  
"John if I go back to prison I will be killed. They are working on something, Sharp the prison and…" he paused like he didn't want to say the rest. "You have to explain this Sherlock" John hissed. The officers were closing in on him slowly as if not to startle him. "Drop the phone" the voice from the megaphone demanded. Sherlock did not drop the phone and a warning shot was fired at the ground in front of him. He flinched and John propelled himself through the police officers. Sherlock dropped the phone and the phone call cut out. "Sherlock" John shouted at the phone. A police officer grabbed his wrist and Sherlock tried to hit out. He was determined not to go back to prison. Whatever was happening was bad and John had no idea what was happening. The officer caught his other wrist and Sherlock drove his foot into the officer's foot. That was when the taser came out. It hit him in the side and he spasmed before hitting ground hard. The officer followed him down. John let out a small 'no' and forgot he wasn't supposed to be seen aiding Sherlock or he would risk the same thing happening to him but he ran to him. The officers had not seen him coming, the swung their guns towards John but John did not stop until he had reached Sherlock.  
"Sherlock" John whispered, the officer moved in on him instantly. Sherlock was pushing himself up, the taser hit him once again. John wanted to punch the officer; he wanted to knock him unconscious "Stop it! He's not resisting just let him get up!" John shouted. He looked up at the officer, he was sweating, his face almost stuck in a grimace, he had no rank or even a name badge, he was still new to the police force, the taser was because he was scared. "Sir I am going to have to ask you to let go of Mr Holmes or I will forcefully make you let go of him" the officer sounded as threatening as a kicked puppy. His voice shook as he spoke. The urge to hit him melted away. "He's not going to hurt you" John said quietly.  
"Sir he has killed a man" His hand had slipped towards the gun hooked on his belt. John knew someone without proper training and experience could scare easily and that put Sherlock and him in a dangerous position. Sherlock had noticed as well and his eyes widened at John. "Step away from him Sir or I will arrest you for assisting a criminal" John couldn't do anything else but step away. He couldn't get arrested, he desperately wanted to help Sherlock but he couldn't risk it. Mary would kill him. He dropped Sherlock's arm and stepped away holding up his hands. A voice buzzed through the radio. "Officer arrest John Watson if you have to, make this quick we have other calls to attend to" the officer nodded to himself and glanced at John. Sherlock whispered something to himself and John stepped back further. He turned his back and walked from the scene. He didn't want to leave. More officers were surrounding Sherlock, they dragged him up by his arms and slapped handcuffs on him. Sherlock looked defeated, his head held low as they read him his rights. John glanced up at the officer who had tasered Sherlock he looked up and nodded towards John. John expected Media to parachute in to the scene but it remained empty after the police had left. John knew he was going to be on the news tonight he was too afraid to go home just yet. He clutched at his phone like Sherlock was going to call him. He considered calling Lestrade and asking if there was anything he could do for him but he doubted it. Sherlock had well and truly messed up. John flicked on the radio. The street was reopened and cars began to stream through the city as normal like nothing had happened. News was being reported that he had been captured. It had been a brutal showdown apparently, guns had been fired between the two, and Sherlock had apparently hit an officer. John scoffed. His phone buzzed. It was Mary.  
"Where the hell are you?" she shouted before John could say anything "Cass from next door has been round saying she saw you chasing a bloody police car!" John held the phone from his ear "What the hell is going on John?" John knew he had acted without thinking and he was beginning to feel foolish. He could have left Sherlock, he was going to be caught either way but John had to be there, in the thick of it. He had to see Sherlock to believe it was happening. "Sherlock's been caught" John could hear Mary inhale sharply. He closed his eyes and pinched bridge of his nose. "He wasn't going to go quietly either, something really is happening in the prison's something I'm not being told. Mary was keeping awfully quite on the other end of the phone so John continued. Like if he told Mary everything she would just forgive him. "So they just tasered him a couple of time and threw him in the back of a police car. I don't know what to do"  
"Maybe we should just forget it John" Mary suggested. John hung up. He knew it was becoming tough for Mary, she hadn't been able to go to work for the second time. She was dangerously close t losing her job at the hospital but they had granted her leave once more. She was stressed and on constant guard. John was also beginning to wonder if there was something she wasn't telling John. She had become awfully quiet whenever Sherlock was mentioned. John started up the car, he had been sitting here too long. People would become suspicious.


End file.
